Neil Critchley confident he is right man to manage QPR as dismal run continues

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2023 by PA

Neil Critchley insisted he was the right man to manage QPR after their dismal run continued with a 3-0 Championship defeat at home to Sunderland.

Rangers are now without a win in 10 matches in all competitions, have won just one of their past 17 and one of their 11 games since Critchley took over as head coach in the wake of Michael Beale’s departure.

They were top of the table when they beat Wigan on October 22 but that was their last home win. Their latest loss – their seventh at home this season – left them 17th.

Asked if he felt he was the right man for the job, Critchley said: “I believe I am, yes. I believe in my own ability to get the best out of this group of players.

“I didn’t see a team that wasn’t together or fighting tonight. I saw the players having a go.

“But it’s mistakes that are killing us. Sloppy goals are killing us. I didn’t see a team that had given up or lacked heart or desire.”

Rangers’ slump began under Beale but their decline since Critchley took over means he is under pressure.

Critchley added: “I’d be lying if I said I was enjoying the situation and the run we’re on.

“But you know what you sign up for when you take the job as a manager. It’s a tough moment but you have to roll your sleeves up and fight.

“If you ask any coach what they need, it’s always time. I know what I want to do and how I want to do it. I have to find a way to get the best out of these players.”

The Black Cats, on the other hand, moved up to fifth in the table and are unbeaten in eight away matches.

Luke O’Nien pounced on a mistake by goalkeeper Seny Dieng to score the opener and Anthony Patterson saved Ilias Chair’s penalty midway through the second half, before former QPR loanee Jack Clarke’s late double sealed victory at Loftus Road.

But Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray played down the prospect of a second-successive promotion for the Wearside club, who went up via the League One play-offs last season under his predecessor Alex Neil.

Mowbray said: “At the moment the team’s looking fine. We’ve talked about our concern about how small the squad is, but we’re doing OK.

“There are no aspirations at this club to achieve anything – just try to give the young players some game time and see if we can develop them.

“They’re sort of punching above their weight at the moment. The expectation was to finish mid-table – 14th, 15th or 16th – and yet at this moment, we’re punching above that.

“But there’s nobody putting any pressure on me to keep in the play-off race – just try to play well every game, give the kids some game time and let’s see how we go.

“They finished fifth in League One and scraped up in the play-offs and now they’re doing exceptionally well in a much tougher league.

“They’re adapting to the division, embracing it and enjoying it. We’ve got some really talented players.”